James Farley

Underwood

10/23/07

D-5

LLOG-1

Synopsis

            There is an island in the South Atlantic Ocean known as Bouvet Island. Near the surrounding waters of this isolated land mass, a shocking and remarkable discovery was made. This area is well known for its harsh, frigid and icy conditions. The discoveries began in 1928 when a zoologist by the name of Ditlef Rustad noticed some interesting and unique characteristics in the fish he was catching. The characteristics of the fish were described as follows, “They looked like other fish in most respects- they had big eyes, large pectoral and tail fins, and a long protruding jaw full of teeth. Both they were utterly pale, almost transparent.” (Carroll) The fish was unique in the sense that at the first initial observation, it appeared that it was clear and did not have any blood. At first these observations and reports were dismissed.

            Throughout the history of time there have been many reports and citings of the unknown at sea. The ocean has always been a place of adventure danger and great peril. When accounts of these ice fish began to circulate, they were simply dismissed as the legend of sailors. The denial of the existence of the ice fish was further backed by scientific thought of the time which stated that “no such fish could exist, as textbooks stated firmly that all vertebrates (fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals) possess red cells in their blood that contained the respiratory pigment hemoglobin.” (Carroll) Whenever a statement is made in the scientific world that does not necessarily agree with the collective common thought of the scientific community, it is often rejected quite harshly.

             As time progressed, more and more accounts of these fish began to circulate. Due to the fact that there were multiple sources saying the same thing over a period of time, people became interested in discovery and looking into the possible existence of these so called bloodless ice fish. A scientist by the name of Johan Ruud set out to look for these fish. In 1954, Ruud found what he was looking for. The ice fish that had for so long been regarded as folklore actually existed.

            Upon first observation, the fish appeared transparent. The conclusion made was that these fish did not need hemoglobin to carry oxygen throughout their circulatory system. The fish adapted to fit its colder environment and due to this adaptation, they now thrive in their environment. The success of the ice fish can be attributed to its extremely thin blood. Due to the fact that the blood contains fewer cells than a normal fish of the same species containing red blood cells, the blood flow is faster because it is thinner. The blood is thinner because there are fewer cells to move and transfer without hemoglobin.

            One of the most important adaptations that the ice fish has made is an ability to produce a protein that acts as antifreeze. This development is essential because it provides a way for adapting to an otherwise unsuitable environment. The protein serves as a natural regulator of body heat. Without regulation of temperature through the antifreeze protein, the ice fish would not survive because it would become too cold and the process of circulation would be restricted. The adaptation is then necessary for survival in such an extreme environment.

            There are a host of factors and series of events that could have contributed to this change. Temperature shifts, tectonic plate movement, and fish migration patterns are all responsible for developing the location and environment which made this change occur. Cold water is scientifically known to carry a greater amount of oxygen. One of the major characteristics of the ice fish is that it does not possess an outward set of scales. The fish then gets its oxygen directly by absorbing through the skin. By skipping the step of oxygen transfer through hemoglobin, the oxygen intake and circulatory system is more efficient because the oxygen is accessed in a quicker manner.

            It is evident in the scientific world that organisms change in order to not only survive but thrive in their environment. Adaptation is the process of change and the ultimate advantage of existence. The debate among evolution is just how exactly the changes occur. Scientists argue not only as to what causes things to change but also, they disagree on the sequence and series of events that caused them to change as well. From an evolutionist perspective, it is believed that DNA can be used to track and successfully document the changes which occur through the process of adaptation.

History reveals much and proof in the scientific world is essential to form a hypothesis into a well developed truth. In the case of the ice fish, much can be learned concerning the changes and development of life and how it both effects and is effected by the environment it exists in. The ice fish is certainly a unique species that should be further learned from and documented in order to ascertain greater understanding in making sense of the world.

Take Away the Idea

            It’s interesting to look at the scientific method of understanding the world.

Something catches the eye and the natural human instinct of discovery kicks in. The human mind is naturally inquisitive. To understand and explore, to know all and be all is the goal of the human race. Explanation and proof are needed to prove something as truth from a scientific perspective. Science claims that if there is no visible proof to a claim, the claim cannot be proven. Science also states that regardless of all the “truth” that is found, there is still a possibility that things may change and the theory can be disproved. An example of opinion based on fossil records is the Theory of Evolution. Yet at the same time, theories that cannot be proven, such as the Big Bang Theory, are widely accepted. This acceptance or denial based on the convenient choice of proof and widely accepted opinion of the scientific community seems contradictory to me.

Most Challenging Concepts:

            The concept of the origins of the ice fish and how it came about to develop the traits it has is something that I found challenging. From the reading, what I new was that the fish had obviously been found. The characteristics and traits of the fish were then also documented. However, I don’t feel enough history was provided. I want to know more about how the traits of the ice fish developed and the conditions which caused the ice fish to change in order for it to fully be able to adapt and survive in the environment it exists in. There was no major challenge I faced in the concepts of the reading, they were self explanatory. I just wish I new more about the process so I could get a full concept of the issue of adaptation and modification being addressed.

A Seminar Question:

            Are there other trends found in the processes of adaptation for fish living in other parts of the sea? If so, are their adaptations similar or different from the ice fish of Bouvet Island?

Communication Competency

It is essential to grow and learn from those around us. The world is full of broad and diverse ideas. When learning from diversity, one’s beliefs are challenged and influenced by the individuals and environment around them. By allowing the voices of this world to speak and give input into the many ideas presented, each claim can be measured and will eventually either be accepted or denied. Never should the door to an idea be shut on the sole basis that it seems unreasonable or miniscule to the thought process already in place.

Communication was essential for the discovery, observation, and documentation of this amazing ice fish. At first, the theory that a bloodless or clear-blooded fish could not exist due to the absence of hemoglobin was dismissed. The scientific community rejected the existence of ice fish because it did not align with the common scientific thought of the time. Over time however, multiple testimonies claiming that the ice fish did exist began to come forth. As communication of these accounts and citings increased, individuals in the scientific community began to seriously re-evaluate the existence of this ice fish based on various accounts. Therefore, communication was essential to finding the ice fish and learning from its biological and instinctive traits.

Aesthetic Awareness

             Being able to observe the environment and the individual objects and forms of life that constitute that argument is essential to developing a thorough visual understanding and beauty of the diversity found in the world. Without being visually aware of something, the appreciation of what is being examined is diminished. When aesthetic awareness is present, the individual can fully comprehend the scientific and visual representation of what is being studied. The encompassing view provided by ascetic awareness enables the understanding for all forms of observation, however simple or complex. By inserting a visual based aid, a face is given to the information and data collected. Visual representation allows the mind to explore.

            In the case of the ice fish, the first differences noticed about it were from a visual perspective. Those who came in contact with it described it as transparent and having no blood. Even if the fish was never sketched or documented, the visualization of a transparent fish with no blood allowed the mind to wonder in inquisitive imagination. This thirst for more was fueled by the ascetic imagination of those who had seen the fish first hand and who recounted the stories they knew to others. Once the fish was actually discovered, it was visually documented to serve as the ascetic basis from which all other objective and subjective data flowed.

Connection

            In class, we have been talking a lot about the basic concepts and origins of adaptation and evolution. It is interesting and fun to apply scientific theories and concepts to specific instances and real world examples such as the case of the ice fish. There are many other unique cases in this world as well. Seeing a model in action makes sense when it is alive and well-documented. Learning about ice fish and how they adapt is fascinating. I hope to see future representation of other intriguing examples of life and how they have adapted to diverse environments as well.

Vocabulary

Hematocrits- the percentage of blood volume in fish consisting of red blood cells

Eukaryotes- scientific group consisting of animals, plants and fungi

Vertebrates- scientific group consisting of fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals

Key Concepts

Investigation multiple congruent sources of information- if multiple sources are giving the same accounts on a particular issue, then that issue is worth looking into to scientifically prove or disprove the relevance of the claim

Documentation and explanation of the subject- the subject must be discovered, observed and documented in order for it to be accurately and thoroughly examined

Determining the cause and effect of subject development- learning what shapes, forms, and modifies a subject to fit its environment is essential to not only comprehend both the general knowledge as well as the application of that knowledge to find differences and similarities in other subjects studied as well

Bibliography

The Making of the Fittest: DNA and the Ultimate Forensic Record of  Evolution by Sean Carroll, W.W. Norton; Reprint edition (September 10, 2007)